Multi-section drum-closing ring

ABSTRACT

A two-section closure ring assembly for securing and sealing a removable lid or cover to an open head cylindrical drum, barrel, or container. This annular two-section drum-closing ring creates a drum-closing system that is much safer to install and remove a lid or cover on an open head drum. An annular two-section ring will prevent pinch points that exist when manually installing and removing the conventional one-piece closing rings. Hinges and conventional drum-closing ring fastening methods connect the multiple ring section ends. Rings of more than two sections can also be used to accomplish the same goal as the two-section drum-closing ring; although, efficiency would dictate a two-section ring to be more practical.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISK APPENDIX

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to closing ring assemblies for securing lids andcovers on the open heads of cylindrical drums that are generally usedfor storage and transporting materials. It deals particularly withimprovements to the standard annular split closing rings used forsecuring drum lids to open head drums.

Open head drums are commonly used by industry as storage andtransportation containers. Typically, these drums have a rolled upperrim at the top opening and the lids have a mating peripheral lip thatfit over the drum's upper rim. A sealing gasket is generally installedbetween the drum's upper rim and the lid's peripheral lip. To close adrum, the gasket and lid are installed on the drum and an annular splitclosing ring is installed over the lid's peripheral lip. The ring isthen compressed to bring the opposing ends of the ring in near abuttingrelation to secure the lid in place and compress the gasket. Thiscreates a seal between the drum and the lid and secures the contents ofthe drum. The closing ring is a split ring, generally metal, which issecured on the drumhead by one of various means for compressing theopposing ends of the ring toward each other. Typically, a pair of lugsare welded to the ring, one on each side of the annular split. Thewelded lugs are drawn together by means of tightening a bolt and nut.However, there are other methods of fastening, securing, and locking theannular split ring, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,134,609, 4,200,316,4,413,850, 4,957,317, and 5,215,206.

One of the major problems encountered with the closing ring assemblydescribed above is that all too frequently people installing andremoving the current standard closing ring assembly get their fingerscaught and pinched. The pinch points are created while prying the ringopen and fitting it onto the drum lid's peripheral lip or prying thering open for removal. Fingers get caught between the ring and lid dueto the spring pressure from the closing ring.

My invention addresses a means for safer installation and removal ofdrum-closing rings and will help prevent the pinch points that existwith the current standard drum-closing ring assembly.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to the improvement of the annular splitdrum-closing ring. The object is to make a drum-closing system that ismuch safer to install and remove. This is accomplished by making theclosing ring an annular two-section ring. An annular two-section ringwill eliminate the spring pressure of current one-section closing ringsand thus prevent pinch points that exist when installing and removingthe one-section rings.

Rings of more than two annular sections can also be used to accomplishthe same goal as the two-section drum-closing ring. But, rings of morethan two sections could be more difficult to install and cause a greaterproblem in sealing the drum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

This multi-section drum-closing ring invention is an improvement of theconventional one-section annular split drum-closing ring. The figureslisted below illustrate the basic and primary differences from theconventional drum-closing ring. These differences are basically anannular two-section ring versus the one-section ring and the use of ahinge or other standard fastening method on the additional annular ringseparation.

FIG. 1 is the plan view of an annular two-section drum-closing ringutilizing a conventional drum-closing ring fastening method,nut-and-bolt style, on each annular separation side.

FIG. 2 is the plan view of an annular two-section drum-closing ringutilizing a hinge on one closing ring annular separation and aconventional drum ring fastening method, nut-and-bolt style, on theopposite annular separation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a safety improvement of the conventional one-sectionannular split drum-closing ring. Drum-closing rings secure a removablelid to an open head drum and are generally C-shaped in cross-section andare concave toward the peripheral edges of the drum. In normaloperations, drum-closing rings are manually installed and removed.

This invention claims a drum-closing ring of two or more sections aboutthe annulus of the drum. A two-section closing ring will eliminate thespring pressure of current one-section closing rings and thus preventpinch points that exist when installing and removing the one-sectionrings. This multi-section drum-closing ring makes the day-to-dayfunction of installing and removing drum lids a much safer and easieroperation.

These multi-section drum-closing rings are manufactured in the samemanner as the existing one-section drum-closing rings with thedifference of having one or more additional annular separations in thering that covers the peripheral edges of the chime of the drum. With theadditional annular separations or splits in the ring, it is necessary tohave a connection between each ring section. The ring sections can beconnected by any number of conventional drum closing-ring fastening andlocking methods. Most of these drum ring fastening and locking methodsare currently patented. The most common drum ring fastening method isthe nut-and-bolt style. These multi-section drum-closing rings can befabricated using metal or any other suitable material.

One method of fabrication for the two-section ring is to install a hingeon one closing ring annular separation and install a conventional drumring fastening method on the opposite annular separation. This wouldenable the operator to open and close the ring without having to fightthe spring pressure that is present in the one-section drum closingrings. This fabrication is illustrated in FIG. 2. The hinge can beriveted or welded to the ring sections. The annular ring separations areshown in FIG. 2 at 180 degrees apart. This is most efficient, but notaltogether necessary.

The two-section ring can also be fabricated with a conventionaldrum-closing ring fastening method on each annular separation side. Thistype of fabrication is shown in FIG. 1 using the nut-and-bolt stylefastening method on each side. An advantage of this configuration is amore compact packaging ability for shipping large quantities ofdrum-closing rings, as the rings will separate into two complete halves.Again, the annular ring separations are shown in FIG. 1 at 180 degreesapart, as this is most efficient, but not altogether necessary.

Rings of more than two sections can be used to close the chime of adrum, but rings of more than two sections could be more difficult toinstall and cause a greater problem in sealing the drum. Generally, theproblem area for sealing drums is the area where the ring is split;therefore, the fewer amount of annular ring separations, the better theseal of the lid to the drum.

This multi-section drum-closing ring may be a little more difficult toget a complete airtight seal for the contents of a drum, barrel, orcontainer. However, not all applications of drum closure require acomplete airtight seal. Many applications in day-to-day operations storesolids in drums; therefore, the multi-section drum-closing ring presentsa much safer and easier method for installing and removing lids on openhead drums.

This invention has been described in detail. Modifications andalternations may be made without departing from the concept and scope ofthis invention and this specification. It is the intent of thisspecification to include all such modifications and alterations as theycome within the concept and scope of the appended claims.

1. A closure ring assembly for the chime of a cylindrical drum, barrel,or container of various sizes that utilizes an annular two-sectionclosing ring to secure and seal a removable lid or cover to an open headdrum, barrel, or container.
 2. The closing ring in claim 1 generally hasa C-shaped cross-section and is concave toward the peripheral edges ofthe container.
 3. The closing ring in claim 1 has the ends of themultiple annular sections of ring connected by means of a hinge on oneannular separation and a conventional drum-closing ring fastening methodon the other annular separation; or, conventional drum-closing ringfastening methods on both annular separations.
 4. The closing ring inclaim 1 can be fabricated using metal or any other suitable material. 5.The closing ring in claim 1 can be modified to consist of 3 or moreannular sections for the same purpose of securing and sealing aremovable lid or cover to an open head cylindrical drum, barrel, orcontainer.